Passage of HB1137 to trim down sales tax

There are two weeks left of session and the work is starting to wind down. I am on the Ag and Local Government committees and we have our last meetings in both of those on Thursday morning this week. 

I’m excited to share with you that the House passed HB1137, the biggest tax cut in South Dakota history in a 66-3 vote! This will lower the overall sales tax from 4.5 percent to 4.2 percent. There has been a budget surplus in Pierre the last few years and everyone is experiencing inflation. All taxpayers will benefit from this, as it will keep more of their money in their pockets. This will have to pass the Senate committee; the Senate floor and Governor Noem has to sign it before it becomes law.

The bill to eliminate the tax on food failed to make it out of the House committee. There was an attempt to smoke it out on the House floor. About 14 of us stood for the smoke out, which was short of the 24 needed to make it successful.

*HB1133, the Eminent Domain bill, died in the Senate commerce committee weeks weeks ago. I was hoping the Senate would attempt a smoke out to get a vote of the bill on the Senate floor, but that didn’t happen. Our efforts to protect landowner rights will have to wait until further action next year.

*HB1127, a bill to help volunteer fire departments buy protective gear for their firefighters, passed in the House 69-0 and is on its way to the Senate.

Some things to watch for yet in the next two weeks are HB1193, a bill related to digital currency. It is making its way through the Senate. I have concerns about how this bill will affect the privacy of how we spend our money. I voted against it and I hope the Senate will kill it.

Also, SB40 is coming to the House. This bill will determine how we elect positions like the lieutenant governor, attorney general and secretary of state. Our precinct committeemen and committeewomen have voted on these positions at our State Convention for years and this bill proposes to take that privilege away from them.

I appreciate hearing from the voters of District 2. I’ve really enjoyed my time serving in Pierre. It’s been a great experience working with other lawmakers.